Unique content creation and remuneration systems and methods

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to web-based multimedia content systems. Specifically, the present invention relates to unique content creation and remuneration systems and methods. In preferred embodiments, user interaction with the system provides rewards and valuations of goods and services based on extrinsic characteristics, such as literary, cultural and artistic value of a good or service, as determined by users and other merit parameters.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/825,335, filed May 20, 2013, and entitled “Unique Content Creation and Remuneration Systems and Methods” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to web-based multimedia content systems. Specifically, the present invention relates to unique content creation and remuneration systems and methods. In preferred embodiments, user interaction with the system provides rewards and valuations of goods and services based on extrinsic characteristics, such as literary, cultural and artistic value of a good or service, as determined by users and other merit parameters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there a number of different loyalty and incentive programs that are used to reward the consumers of a business, service, or product. Common examples of businesses that employ such programs include airlines and credit card companies. Presently, however, there are no rewards programs or systems that provide a method for rewarding users of a website, service or similar outlet for both the production of content and the consumption of content, as well as interacting with other aspects of the website, service or other outlet (e.g. participating in advertisements or other marketing).

Additionally, presently available rewards systems are largely based on monetary value (i.e. more rewards points are earned for purchasing a more expensive item/service and more rewards points are required in exchange for receiving a more expensive item/service) and do not offer a method for assessing the value of goods, services or other items (collectively, “items” as used herein) in terms of that item's artistic, cultural, literary or other extrinsic value.

Therefore, there is need in the art for a system and method that provides a rewards program that can compensate users for both the production and consumption of content in terms of that content's artistic, literary, cultural or other extrinsic value. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for a rewards system that remunerates users for both the production and consumption of content with a non-monetary-based compensation.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for providing a reward for producing and consuming media content, including: a reward management module, comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory, a processor, and a communications means, wherein said reward management module, said processor, and said communications means are operably connected and are configured to: receive request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permit said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assign a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculate a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; deposit said reward point value an account belonging to said user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the interactive function is selected from a group of interactive functions comprising producing media content, consuming media content and purchasing media content.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more merit parameters are selected from a group of merit parameters comprising, user reviews, website hits, and media platform provider appraisals.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reward management module, said processor, and said communications means are further configured to: receive a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieve a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; complete purchase request; and deposit said purchase designated merit score to said account.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the purchase designated merit score is higher than said transaction cost.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the purchase designated merit score is lower than said transaction cost.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory is provided for instructing a microprocessor to: receive request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permit said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assign a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculate a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; deposit said reward point value an account belonging to said user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the non-transitory computer readable medium may further be configured to instruct the microprocessor to: receive a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieve a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; complete purchase request; and deposit said purchase designated merit score to said account.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing a reward for producing and consuming media content, includes the steps of: receiving a request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permitting said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assigning a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculating a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; depositing said reward point value an account belonging to said user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes the steps of: receiving a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieving a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; completing purchase request; and depositing said purchase designated merit score to said account.

The foregoing summary of the present invention with the preferred embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. It should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention thus described may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic overview of a computing device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a network schematic of a system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of a system for collecting and streaming business reviews, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a process flow of an exemplary method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a process flow of an exemplary method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

The present invention generally relates to web-based multimedia content systems. Specifically, the present invention relates to unique content creation and remuneration systems and methods. In preferred embodiments, user interaction with the system provides rewards and valuations of goods and services based on extrinsic characteristics, such as literary, cultural and artistic value of a good or service, as determined by users and other merit parameters.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system and method is accomplished through the use of one or more computing devices. As shown in FIG. 1, One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that a computing device 100 appropriate for use with embodiments of the present application may generally be comprised of one or more of a Central processing Unit (CPU) 101, Random Access Memory (RAM) 102, a storage medium (e.g., hard disk drive, solid state drive, flash memory, cloud storage) 103, an operating system (OS) 104, one or more application software 105, display element 106 and one or more input/output devices/means 107. Examples of computing devices usable with embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, smart phones, laptops, mobile computing devices and tablet PCs and servers. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that any number of computing devices could be used, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any computing device.

In an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, data may be provided to the system, stored by the system and provided by the system to users of the system across local area networks (LANs) (e.g., office networks, home networks) or wide area networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet). In accordance with the previous embodiment, the system may be comprised of numerous servers communicatively connected across one or more LANs and/or WANs. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous manners in which the system could be configured and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any configuration.

In general, the system and methods provided herein may be consumed by a user of a computing device whether connected to a network or not. According to an embodiment of the present invention, some of the applications of the present invention may not be accessible when not connected to a network, however a user may be able to compose data offline that will be consumed by the system when the user is later connected to a network.

Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic overview of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The system is comprised of one or more application servers 203 for electronically storing information used by the system. Applications in the server 203 may retrieve and manipulate information in storage devices and exchange information through a WAN 201 (e.g., the Internet). Applications in server 203 may also be used to manipulate information stored remotely and process and analyze data stored remotely across a WAN 201 (e.g., the Internet).

According to an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, exchange of information through the WAN 201 or other network may occur through one or more high speed connections. In some cases, high speed connections may be over-the-air (OTA), passed through networked systems, directly connected to one or more WANs 201 or directed through one or more routers 202. Router(s) 202 are completely optional and other embodiments in accordance with the present invention may or may not utilize one or more routers 202. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous ways server 203 may connect to WAN 201 for the exchange of information, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any method for connecting to networks for the purpose of exchanging information. Further, while this application refers to high speed connections, embodiments of the present invention may be utilized with connections of any speed.

Components of the system may connect to server 203 via WAN 201 or other network in numerous ways. For instance, a component may connect to the system i) through a computing device 212 directly connected to the WAN 201, ii) through a computing device 205, 206 connected to the WAN 201 through a routing device 204, iii) through a computing device 208, 209, 210 connected to a wireless access point 207 or iv) through a computing device 211 via a wireless connection (e.g., CDMA, GMS, 3G, 4G) to the WAN 201. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous ways that a component may connect to server 203 via WAN 201 or other network, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any method for connecting to server 203 via WAN 201 or other network. Furthermore, server 203 could be comprised of a personal computing device, such as a smartphone, acting as a host for other computing devices to connect to.

Turning to FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for collecting and streaming business reviews is comprised of one or more communications means 301, one or more data stores 302, a processor 303, memory 304, and a reward management module 305.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide a user rewards program. In a preferred embodiment, system and method may be used provide a rewards program that combines rewards both for producing and consuming content. In the preferred embodiment, the rewards system is based on a non-monetary value system. As an illustrative example, the reward system will base its value on the artistic, literary, cultural or other extrinsic merit of the content that was produced or consumed by the user. The process and method of assigning the artistic, literary, cultural or other extrinsic merit may be collectively referred to assigning the Valuism to piece of content or product. The Valuism of a particular piece of content or product is higher if that piece of content or product is determined to be of greater literary, artistic, or cultural value relative to another piece of content. In some embodiments, the Valuism of given article of content may be assigned by the website provider or host that is providing the outlet where the content is displayed. In some embodiments, the Valuism of a given article of content may be assigned by the other producers and consumers of content (e.g. the other users of a website). In other embodiments, the Valuism of content may be assigned by a combination of the website (or other outlet) provider and the users of the website (or other outlet). In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the reward system is based on a monetary scale. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate there are many methods through which a rewards system could be administered, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such administration method.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein are configured to calculate the Valuism of a particular article, product, or other piece of content. In a preferred embodiment, the Valuism is the assessed artistic, literary, and/or cultural merit of a particular product or piece of content. In the preferred embodiment, the Valuism of an item maybe assigned by users of a website or similar platform, the operators that website or similar platform, or any combination thereof. The Valuism of an item maybe determined in a number of ways, including, but not limited to the number of times that item has been consumed (e.g. web page hits and sales numbers), reviews of the item, perceived artistic, literary, or cultural importance, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the Valuism of an item may be dynamic and constantly change as opinions about the item change over time. In other embodiments, the Valuism of a product will be the peak Valuism that an item has reached. In still other embodiments, the Valuism of a product will be its average Valuism over time. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many way to calculate and track the Valuism of an item, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such calculation and tracking methods.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the systems and methods described herein may be implemented through the use of a reward management module. In a preferred embodiment, the reward management module is configured to provide users with the ability to interact with the system through a variety of interactive functions as well as process and assign rewards based on those interactive functions as well as the extrinsic value of content associated with the interactive function. Interactive functions may include, but are not limited to, generating content, forwarding content, reviewing content, amending content, providing suggestions on content, appending content (e.g., adding photos, video, text), participating in group interactions associated with content, investing in content, licensing content, purchasing content, or any combination thereof. In alternate embodiments, the reward management module may be configured to facilitate additional or fewer functions. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that a review management module could be configured to accomplish a variety of tasks, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such task.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide rewards to producers of content on a website or similar outlet. In a preferred embodiment, a user may be awarded rewards points based upon the Valuism of the content that user produced. In particular, the greater the Valuism of a particular piece of content is deemed to be, the greater number of reward points are awarded to that user for producing that content. In the preferred embodiment, users can produce content in a number of ways, including but not limited to providing songs, artwork, stories, essays, reviews, and other articles or content that can be consumed by other users. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many types of content that could be produced by a user, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such type of content.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide rewards to consumers of content on a website or similar outlet. In a preferred embodiment, a user may be awarded rewards points based upon the Valuism of the content that user consumes. In particular, the greater the Valuism of a particular piece of content is deemed to be, the greater number of reward points are awarded to that user for consuming that content. In the preferred embodiment, users can consume content in a number of ways, including but not limited to downloading content, reading articles and other content, and purchasing content and other products from a store that is provided by the website or similar outlet. In the preferred embodiment, content may be purchased through the store using rewards points that the user has accrued, monetary forms of payment (i.e. cash, credit cards, etc.), or any combination thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many types of content that could be consumed by a user, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such type of content.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide rewards to users of a website or similar outlet in exchange for that user interacting with the website or similar outlet. In a preferred embodiment, a user may be awarded rewards points for interacting with content on a website or similar outlet. The types of interaction that may be rewarded include, but are not limited to forwarding content to friends, family members, other users of the website, or businesses, commenting on content, suggesting improvements, posting links to the content on a user's social networks, and providing suggestions for new content. In the preferred embodiment, an additional way a user might earn rewards points is by viewing and participating in advertisements that have been posted to the website or similar outlet. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many way through which a user could interact with a website or similar outlet, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated to reward any such interaction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide rewards to users who purchase products within a store provided on the website or other outlet. In a preferred embodiment, rewards points can also be earned in more traditional ways, by purchasing products within the store. In the preferred embodiment, rewards points are awarded not on the basis of the economic value of the product that is purchase, but instead on the Valuism that has been assigned to that product. Therefore, as an illustrative example, more points are earned on a $25 purchase that is deemed to represent a purchase of greater artistic, literary or cultural merit (i.e. a higher Valuism) than on a $100 purchase that represents a purchase of lesser artistic, literary or cultural merit (i.e. lower Valuism).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more systems and methods described herein provide a rewards system that represent an alternative currency within a closed system. In the a preferred embodiment, the rewards points earned based upon the users interaction with a website or similar platform, including, but not limited to content creation and content consumption, are primarily based upon the Valuism of the content a given user provides and consumes. In the preferred embodiment, the website or similar platform is a media website or similar media platform. In some embodiments, the rewards points may be used to gain equity in the website or similar platform when those rewards points are invested in website or similar platform. In some embodiments, the rewards points may be used by users of the website to invest in new business ventures and other projects that are being started by other users of the website or similar platform. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are many ways that the value of the rewards points might be utilized by a user, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any such utilizations.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rewards points earned by a user are used to promote and recognize a user within the website or similar platform on which the rewards points are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the total points a user has earned can be used to recognize the overall Valuism contributions and interactions that a user provided to the website or similar platform. In the preferred embodiment, this allows a user to evaluate which other users have provided content with the most artistic, literary, or cultural merit. Similarly, it may also help a user determine which other users have the most influence on the website or similar platform.

Exemplary Embodiments

Below is an illustrative example of how a user might utilize and becoming increasingly more involved in the rewards system and the related website or similar platform. A user, typically a member of the creative class, may learn of a website by being forwarded a note from an existing user, conducting an internet search, or linking through a promotion on another media website. As the user visits and explores the website, the user becomes interested in the content on the website. At this point, the user becomes a regular visitor and reader, but not yet participant. As time goes on, the user may desire to become more involved and therefore do onsite activities, quizzes, comments, or games. Taking that requires registration, and thus registers. The user may continue to increase their participation by content to friends and family, thus earning reward points and learning about the reward system. As the user graduates to higher levels of involvement, the user may now be adding value to the website by supplying the site with content, suggesting a news story or quote, or even adding a section to a collaborative work, thereby earning more substantial rewards points. Now as regular contributor, the user begins to follow the on-site recognition of other users, and compare the totals in their own account total to those at the top of the contributors list. Furthermore, as time progresses, the system can suggest certain content to read or items in the store that the use might be interested in purchasing through a combination of rewards points and/or cash. These suggestions could be based on the user's areas of interest and/or the tracking of the user's reading habits.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, below is an exemplary method associated with the system with respect to the provision of interactive functions to users in relation to content, as shown in FIG. 4.

At step 400, the process starts with a user interacting with the system (e.g., logging on) at which point a request is sent to the system by the user. The system receives the request at step 401 and the system begins to determine the nature of the request. At step 402, the system differentiates between content interaction requests and purchase requests. Both types of interactive functions may involve the same content, but the two portions may also require separate sets of functions that make it worthy to split the transactions as such. In other embodiments, the system may choose not to differentiate between content interactions and purchase requests. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous manners in which the system could be divisible and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated with any such appropriate division of the system or individual responsibilities and roles therein.

If the interactive function is not a purchase request, the system proceed to process and identify the actual interactive function type (step 403). Identifying the type of interactive function may be important as certain interactive functions may require additional information to process. For instance, only certain users may be able to amend content, whereas a wider number of users may be able to comment or review on content. As such, additional user validation or other validation, security or simply general information may be needed depending on the interactive function type.

At step 404, assuming the user is authorized to conduct the interactive function, the system executes the interactive function as requested. Once the interactive function is requested, the system calculates and assigns rewards based on the interactive function executed (step 405). The determination of the reward assigned is done in accordance with the methods described herein. The more complex or more important the interactive function executed, the higher the award. Further, the Valuism (i.e., extrinsic value) of the content interacted upon may assist in the determination of the award. For instance, content with a high Valuism may provide greater awards to those who interact with that content then content with a lower Valuism.

At this point, the process can loop back to step 401, allowing for more interactions or terminate at step 406.

If the interactive function is a purchase request, the system may set about processing a purchase transaction. It should be understood that a purchase request/transaction could include not only the purchase of goods, but also the licensing of goods, purchasing of services to be rendered, or any combination thereof. Generally, the first step the system takes in this process is identifying the goods and services (collectively, “items” as used herein) involved and transaction type where applicable (step 407). It should be further noted that there is no requirement to own, interact or otherwise participate in the functionality of the system with respect to any content in order to execute a purchase transaction. According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, purchase request may be submitted by users who have not previously engaged in any activity with respect to any content provided by or in conjunction with the system. However, other embodiments may include purchase restrictions based on activity or other pre-defined requirements in order to complete a purchase transaction. For instance, a user may be required to register prior to completing a purchase. In other embodiments, a user may only be able to purchase certain content if they have met some other criteria (e.g., reached a certain level, previously interacted with the content, been invited to purchase the content, been approved by the content owner as someone or belonging to a class of individuals allowed to purchase the content). One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous criteria that could be utilized to limit or otherwise restrict purchase transactions, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any type of purchase transaction restriction requirements.

At step 408, the system retrieves the associated purchase designated merit score associated with each item of a purchase request. Since the designated merit score may be different than the actual purchase price (as described previously herein) it is important for the system to retrieve the current Valuism based merit score.

At step 409, the system completes the transaction. This may include validation of payment sources and availability of the items to be purchased as well as any shipping or other factors associated with the transaction. Once the transaction is complete, the system assigns reward points to the purchaser based on the Valuism based merit score (step 410). At this point the process terminates at step 406.

Turning to FIG. 5, another exemplary method associated with the system more generally associated with a single piece of content over time, starting at step 500. At step 501, the system receives one or more interactions and/or subjective value assessments associated with a piece of content. This can be anything from a rating, to a review to a extrinsic value given to the content by one or more users.

At step 502, the system generates a subjective valuation of the content. This part of the process is ongoing as each additional interaction by users may alter the subjective valuation of the content. As such, the subjective valuation of the content may be different at any given point.

At step 503, the system receives a purchase request associated with the content. The purchase request may be handled as previously discussed herein. However, at step 504, the system retrieves a then current subjective valuation for the content associated with the purchase request.

At step 505, the system provides rewards to the user purchasing the content based on its then current subjective valuation. The subjective valuation may change over time, but the rewards in this example are provided at the currently given subjective valuation. Embodiments of the present invention may be utilized with floating subjective valuations, where rewards provided to a user float based on the current subjective value of content the user has interacted with or otherwise purchased.

At step 506, the system confirms the purchase transaction and awards the user their reward points. At this point, the process terminates at step 507.

Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere, block diagrams and flowchart illustrations depict methods, apparatuses (i.e., systems), and computer program products. Each element of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, as well as each respective combination of elements in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, illustrates a function of the methods, apparatuses, and computer program products. Any and all such functions (“depicted functions”) can be implemented by computer program instructions; by special-purpose, hardware-based computer systems; by combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions; by combinations of general purpose hardware and computer instructions; and so on—any and all of which may be generally referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.”

While the foregoing drawings and description set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.

Each element in flowchart illustrations may depict a step, or group of steps, of a computer-implemented method. Further, each step may contain one or more sub-steps. For the purpose of illustration, these steps (as well as any and all other steps identified and described above) are presented in order. It will be understood that an embodiment can contain an alternate order of the steps adapted to a particular application of a technique disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. The depiction and description of steps in any particular order is not intended to exclude embodiments having the steps in a different order, unless required by a particular application, explicitly stated, or otherwise clear from the context.

Traditionally, a computer program consists of a finite sequence of computational instructions or program instructions. It will be appreciated that a programmable apparatus (i.e., computing device) can receive such a computer program and, by processing the computational instructions thereof, produce a further technical effect.

A programmable apparatus includes one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, programmable devices, programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, memory devices, application specific integrated circuits, or the like, which can be suitably employed or configured to process computer program instructions, execute computer logic, store computer data, and so on. Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere a computer can include any and all suitable combinations of at least one general purpose computer, special-purpose computer, programmable data processing apparatus, processor, processor architecture, and so on.

It will be understood that a computer can include a computer-readable storage medium and that this medium may be internal or external, removable and replaceable, or fixed. It will also be understood that a computer can include a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), firmware, an operating system, a database, or the like that can include, interface with, or support the software and hardware described herein.

Embodiments of the system as described herein are not limited to applications involving conventional computer programs or programmable apparatuses that run them. It is contemplated, for example, that embodiments of the invention as claimed herein could include an optical computer, quantum computer, analog computer, or the like.

Regardless of the type of computer program or computer involved, a computer program can be loaded onto a computer to produce a particular machine that can perform any and all of the depicted functions. This particular machine provides a means for carrying out any and all of the depicted functions.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Computer program instructions can be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner. The instructions stored in the computer-readable memory constitute an article of manufacture including computer-readable instructions for implementing any and all of the depicted functions.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

The elements depicted in flowchart illustrations and block diagrams throughout the figures imply logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may be implemented as parts of a monolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or as modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any combination of these. All such implementations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be appreciated that elements of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, program instruction means for performing the specified functions, and so on.

It will be appreciated that computer program instructions may include computer executable code. A variety of languages for expressing computer program instructions are possible, including without limitation C, C++, Java, JavaScript, assembly language, Lisp, and so on. Such languages may include assembly languages, hardware description languages, database programming languages, functional programming languages, imperative programming languages, and so on. In some embodiments, computer program instructions can be stored, compiled, or interpreted to run on a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, a heterogeneous combination of processors or processor architectures, and so on.

In some embodiments, a computer enables execution of computer program instructions including multiple programs or threads. The multiple programs or threads may be processed more or less simultaneously to enhance utilization of the processor and to facilitate substantially simultaneous functions. By way of implementation, any and all methods, program codes, program instructions, and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread. The thread can spawn other threads, which can themselves have assigned priorities associated with them. In some embodiments, a computer can process these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code.

Unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context, the verbs “execute” and “process” are used interchangeably to indicate execute, process, interpret, compile, assemble, link, load, any and all combinations of the foregoing, or the like. Therefore, embodiments that execute or process computer program instructions, computer-executable code, or the like can suitably act upon the instructions or code in any and all of the ways just described.

The functions and operations presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will be apparent to those of skill in the art, along with equivalent variations. In addition, embodiments of the invention are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the present teachings as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of embodiments of the invention. Embodiments of the invention are well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks include storage devices and computers that are communicatively coupled to dissimilar computers and storage devices over a network, such as the Internet.

The functions, systems and methods herein described could be utilized and presented in a multitude of languages. Individual systems may be presented in one or more languages and the language may be changed with ease at any point in the process or methods described above. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous languages the system could be provided in, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for use with any language.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. The invention is capable of myriad modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 

1. A system for providing a reward for producing and consuming media content, the system comprising: a reward management module, comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory, a processor, and a communications means, wherein said reward management module, said processor, and said communications means are operably connected and are configured to: receive request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permit said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assign a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculate a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; deposit said reward point value an account belonging to said user.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said interactive function is selected from a group of interactive functions comprising producing media content, consuming media content and purchasing media content.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more merit parameters are selected from a group of merit parameters comprising, user reviews, website hits, and media platform provider appraisals.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said reward management module, said processor, and said communications means are further configured to: receive a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieve a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; complete purchase request; and deposit said purchase designated merit score to said account.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein said purchase designated merit score is higher than said transaction cost.
 6. The system of claim 4, wherein said purchase designated merit score is lower than said transaction cost.
 7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory for instructing a microprocessor to: receive request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permit said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assign a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculate a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; deposit said reward point value an account belonging to said user.
 8. The non-transitory computer readable medium claim 7, wherein said interactive function is selected from a group of interactive functions comprising producing media content, consuming media content and purchasing media content.
 9. The non-transitory computer readable medium claim 7, wherein said one or more merit parameters are selected from a group of merit parameters comprising, user reviews, website hits, and media platform provider appraisals.
 10. The non-transitory computer readable medium claim 7, further configured to: receive a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieve a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; complete purchase request; and deposit said purchase designated merit score to said account.
 11. The non-transitory computer readable medium claim 10, wherein said purchase designated merit score is higher than said transaction cost.
 12. The non-transitory computer readable medium claim 10, wherein said purchase designated merit score is lower than said transaction cost.
 13. A method for providing a reward for producing and consuming media content, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a request from a user to engage with content on a media platform; permitting said user to access said content on said media platform, wherein said user performs an interactive function with said content; assigning a designated merit score to said content, wherein said designated merit score is a valuation of said content's artistic, literary, and cultural importance as determined by one or more merit parameters, calculating a reward point value for said interactive function, wherein said reward point value is determined based at least in part upon said designated merit score and said interactive function; depositing said reward point value an account belonging to said user.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said interactive function is selected from a group of interactive functions comprising producing media content, consuming media content and purchasing media content.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more merit parameters are selected from a group of merit parameters comprising, user reviews, website hits, and media platform provider appraisals.
 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: receiving a purchase request, wherein said purchase request is associated with the purchase of a good or service provided through the media platform; retrieving a purchase designated merit score, wherein said purchase designated merit score is based is separate from a transaction cost for said good or service; completing purchase request; and depositing said purchase designated merit score to said account.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said purchase designated merit score is higher than said transaction cost.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said purchase designated merit score is lower than said transaction cost. 